Timer drowse mechanism



Jan. 4, 1966 D. MORRISON ETAL 3,227,827

TIMER DROWSE MECHANISM Filed Sept. 25, 1963 3 Sheets-Sheet 1 llx INVENTORS.

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TIMER BROWSE MEGHANI SM 5 Sheets-Sheet 2 Filed Sept. 23, 19655 Jan., 4, 1966 D. MORRISON ETAL TIMER DROWSE MECHANISM 3 Sheets-Sheet 3 Filed Sep. 23, l

Patented Jan. 4, 1966 s,227,s27 TIMER BROWSE lt/IECHANISM David Morrison and Ralph C. Robinson, Athens, Ga., assignors to General Time Corporation, New York, NQY., a corporation of Delaware Filed Sept. 23, 1963, Ser.. No. 299,623 7 Claims. (Cl. MIG-38) This invention relates generally to switch controlling timers and more particularly concerns a Drowse mechansim for such timers.

Timers which display the time as does a conventional clock and also operate a switch have come into widespread use for giving a yform of automatic control over a variety of electrically operated devices. One of the best known of such devices is perhaps the Clock Radio. Such timers, in addition to a clock face with hour, minute and second hands, include a control shaft having ON, OFF and AUTO positions. In the ON and OFF position, the time switch is so operated. In the AUTO position, the switch is conditioned for operation at a preselected time, as indicated by the clock hands.

A Drowse mechanism performs the function of restoring the switch to its non-operated condition for a short interval following which t-he switch is again operated. A typical sequence in operation of a `clock radio is for the user to turn the control shaft ON at night to operate the radio for a time. Before retiring, the shaft is set in the AUTO position to turn the radio OFF and condition it for automatic operation in the morning. At the selected time, the radio comes on, but the user presses the Drowse button to bring the drowse mechanism into operation. As a result, the radio is turned OFF for the drowse interval and again comes on 'following this interval. When leaving the radio, the Control shaft is turned to the OFF position so as to silence the radio.

It is an object of the present invention to provide a novel single subassembly drowse mechanism of the above type suitable for use in a very compact switch-controlling timer. In a practical embodiment of the invention, the frame plate dimensions of the timer are approximately 2 by 3% inches, with it being understood that conventional timer tolerances are employed, as opposed to precision Watch-making accuracies.

Another object is to provide a mechanism as characterized above which produces a consistent drowse interval which can be accurately predetermined. A further object is to .provide a mechanism of this kind which functions only when the timer is set for the AUTO mode of operation.

It is also an object to provide a drowse mechanism of the above type having few parts which can be economically formed and assembled. A collateral object is to provide a mechanism of this character which, by virtue of its single subassembly construction, can be easily added to a timer assembly, or not included, without interfering with the other timer functions.

Other objects and advantages of the invention will become apparent upon reading the following detailed description and upon reference to the drawings, in which:

FIGURE l is a fragmentary side elevation7 partially in section, of a timer embodying the present invention.

FIG. 2 is a top plan of the FIG. l timer with portions broken away;

FIG. 3 is a perspective of portions of the FIG. 1 timer;

FIGS. 4a, 4b and 4c are reduced, somewhat diagrammatic, plants of portions of the timer mechanism shown in FIG. 3 with the parts occupying different positions in the three views; and

FIGS. 5, 6 and 7 are plans of the timer mechanism shown in FIG. 3 with the parts occupying three different positions of operation.

While the invention will be described in connection with a preferred embodiment, it will be understood that we do not intend to limit the invention to that embodiment. On the contrary, we intend t-o cover all alternatives, modifications and equivalents as may be included within the spirit and scope of the invention as defined by the appended claims.

Turning rst to FIGS. l and 2, there is shown a timer 1t) embodying the invention and including a timing train 11 and an electrical switch 12 mounted on frame plates 13 and 14. The timing train 11 is driven by a synchronous motor 15 whose output pinion 16 meshes with a second wheel 17 that is fixed to a shaft 18 carrying a second hand 19. A minute hand 20 is secured to a sleeve 21 ron the shaft 18 and carries `a minute wheel 22 that is coupled by a pinion 23 and a gear wheel 24 to a pinion 25 that supports the secon-d wheel 17 and is secured to the shaft 18. An hour hand 26 is secured to a sleeve 27, tted over the sleeve 21, which carries an hour wheel 2S that is coupled Lby a pinion 29 and a gear wheel 30 to a pinion 31 that supports the minute wheel 22 and is secured to the sleeve 2l. The above described timing train operates in a conventional manner to rotate the hands 19, 2t) and 26 at the proper rates from the synchronous motor 15.

The switch 12 has an operating slide 35 that is controlled by a shiftable operator 36 which is mounted on a frame post 37 for pivoting and rocking movement. The operator 36 is 'biased by a spring 38 anchored to the frame plate 13 so that the operator is urged toward the frame plate 13 and counterclockwise in the drawings so as to carry a linger 39, formed on the Operator, away from the switch slide 35. Preferably, the switch 12 is of the normally closed type and is open when the operator finger 39 rotates clockwise and shifts the switch slide 35 against its bias upwardly in FIG. 2 and to the right in FIGS. 3 and 4. The force of the spring 38 urging the operator 36 toward the plate 13 tends to move a ledge 46 on the operator 3d into engagement with a frame lug 41 carried on the plate 13. With the ledge resting against the lug 41 under the urging of the spring 38, the nger 39 engages the switch slide 3 so as to hold the switch 12 in operated, open condition.

To manually position the switch operator 36, a positionable selector 45 is mounted on a function shaft d6 that is controlled by a knob 47 (see FIG. 3). The selector 45 includes an abutment 48 and a cam 49. In the AUTO position of the function shaft 46, shown in FIG. 4a, both the abutment 48 and the cam 49 clear the operator 36. In the OFF position, shown in FIG. 4b, the abutment 48 engages the operator 36 and swings it clockwise into its switch operating position wherein the switch slide 35 is slid to the right and the switch 12 is held open. In the ON position, shown in FIG. 4c, the abutment 48 releases the operator 36 for counterclockwise swinging movement and the cam 49 swings the operator outwardly from the frame plate 13 so that the ledge 40 is lifted over the lug 41, whereupon the spring 38 pulls the operator 36 counterclockwise from its switch operating position closing the switch 12.

Establishing click stops for the selector 4,5 is a spring detent element 51 which fits into alternate ones of a series of notches 52 formed at the pivot point of the selector 45. Three notches 52 are provided which correspond to the AUTO, ON and OFF positions of the selector.

For automatically operating the switch 12, the hour wheel 28 is formed with cam abutments 55 which cooperate with abutments 56 formed on a positionable alarm gear 57. The alarm gear 57 is mounted on a sleeve 58 which also carries an alarm indicator hand 59. At the pre-set time, the abutments 55, 56 come together so as to cam the hour wheel 2S from the alarm gear 57, the sleeve 27 sliding within the sleeve 58, with the result that the hour wheel 28 engages a finger 66 on the operator 36 so as to lift the operator from the lug 4l. Thus, with the selector 45 in the AUTO FIG. 4a position, axial shifting movement of the hour wheel 28 at the pre-set alarm time causes the operator 36 to be moved away from the frame plate 13 until the ledge 46 clears the lug 4]., whereupon the spring 38 shifts the operator 36 to the dashed line position shown in FIG. 4a to thereby discontinue operation of the switch i2 and, hence, close the switch.

In accordance with the invention, the timer 16 is provided with a drowse mechanism 65 in which the operative parts are carried on a single slide 66 mounted for sliding movement on a frame post 67 and the function shaft 46. The slide 66 has an actuated position shown in FIGS. 5 and 6 and a rest position, toward which it is biased by a spring 68, shown in FIG. 7. The end of the slide 66, the lower end in FIGS. -7, extends from between the timer frame plates I3, T4 for manual actuation of the slide from its rest position to its actuated position. In the actuated position, abutting portions on the operator 36 and the slide 66, comprising the end of the slide 66 and a pin 69 fixed to the operator 36, hold the operator 36 in its switch operating position. That is, pushing the slide 66 upwardly in FIG. 7 brings the end of the slide into engagement with the pin 69 and rocks the operator 36 clockwise as shown in FIGS. 5 and 6 so as to operate and open the switch 12.

To insure that the drowse mechanism is effective only when the timer is in AUTO condition, the slide 66 carries a pivoted latch 75 that is biased counterclockwise by a spring 76 and which has a foot portion 77 that snaps over, and into contact with, the selector abutment 48 when the selector 45 is in AUTO position and the slide 66 is moved to its actuated position. Thus, with the selector 45 in its AUTO position as shown in FIGS. 5-7, shifting the slide 66 upwardly from its rest FIG. 7 position to its actuated FIG. 5 position causes the foot surface 77 on the latch 75 .to clear the selector abutment 43, Whereon the spring 76 swings the latch '75 counterclockwise to bring the foot portion 77 over and into contact with the selector abutment 48. This latches the slide 66 in its actuated position and the operator 36 is thereby held in its switch operating position. It will be appreciated that with the selector 45 in its alternate ON and OFF positions, the foot surface 77 clears the abutment 48 in all positions of the slide 66 and hence the drowse mechanism slide will not be latched in position unless the selector 45 has been placed in the AUTO position.

For establishing the drowse interval, a release pawl 60 is movably mounted on the slide 66 in position for its tip 8l to engage the minute wheel 22 when the slide 66 is in its actuated position. The pawl 80 slides and pivots in a notch 82 formed in the slide 66, and the spring 76 extends between the latch 7S and the release pawl 86 so as to both bias the latch and urge the pawl 89 into the notch 82 and in a counterclockwise direction as seen in FIGS. 2 and 5-7. With the pawl tip 81 in engagement with the teeth of the minute wheel 22, rotation of the wheel counterclockwise in FIGS. 5-7 swings, and slightly slides, the pawl 30 in a clockwise direction until its tip 8l engages a finger portion 83 on the latch 75 so as to swing the latch clockwise to move the latch foot surface 77 out of Contact with the selector abutment 4S. This is the position of the parts shown in FIG. 6 and it results in release of the slide 66 for return movement to its rest position as shown in FIG. 7.

To briefly recapitulate the operation of the drowse mechanism 65, the parts are normally in their FIG. 7 ppsitiQD... With the Selector 45 in its AUTO position, it

will be recalled that the switch l2 will close at the time selected by the setting of the alarm gear 57. At this time, the abutments 55, 56 axially shift the hour wheel 26 to lift the ledge 4t) of the switch operator 36 from the lug il so that the operator is free to move counterclockwise to its non-switch operating position as shown in FIG. 7.

If the operator of the timer llt) desires to reopen the switch lf2 for the drowse interval, the slide 66 is simply pushed inwardly relative to the frame plate 13 so that it slides from its FIG. 7 to its FIG. 5 position. As soon as the foot surface 7'7 on the latch 75 clears the selector abutment 4?, the latch swings counterclockwise so as to lock the slide 66 in its actuated FIG. 5 position. Movement of the slide 66 to its actuated FIG. 5 position causes .the slide to engage the pin 69 and swing the switch operator 36 clockwise so as to operate and thus open the switch l2. This movement of the slide also brings the tip Sil of the pawl 8@ into engagement with the minute wheel 22 and the pawl is thereafter slowly rotated clockwise in unison with the periphery of the minute wheel 22. At the completion of the drowse interval, the tip 81 of the pawl tt? has been swung to its FIG. 6 position and engages the finger portion 63 so as to tilt the latch 75 clockwise to a point where the foot surface 77 clears the abutment 43. This releases the slide 77 for return movement to its FIG. 7 rest position and this, of course, releases the operator 36 so that it swings out of its switch operating position. It will be recalled that the ledge 40 does not strike the lug Lill since the operator 36 is held away from the frame plate i3 by the shifted hour wheel 28.

Those skilled in this art will appreciate that the drowse mechanism 65 is extremely compact and hence well suited for inclusion in small timer units. As previously mentioned, a representative practical embodiment Vof the timer i6 has frame plate -dimensions approximately 2 by 35/8 inches, and yet the individual parts making up the timer with the drowse mechanism 65 need be constructed only with ordinary timer manufacturing accuracies.

It will also be seen that, since the drowse interval is determined by rotation of the minute wheel 22 through a fairly considerable arc, an accurate drowse interval can be established and maintained. The drowse mechanism 65 has only a few parts which, as may be readily seen, can be economically manufactured and assembled. It will further be appreciated that the drowse mechanism 65 is an independent subassembly of the timer 10, and hence, can be added or removed from the other timer elements quite readily.

We claim as our invention:

l. In a timer having a frame and a timing train with a gear wheel, the combination comprising, a biased operator on said frame, a slide on said frame having a rest position and an actuated position, said operator being held against its bias by said slide when in said actuated position, a latch on said slide for holding said slide in actuated position, and a release pawl on said slide for engaging said gear wheel when the slide is in actuated position so as to be moved during an interval to a position wherein the pawl releases said latch and allows the slide to return to said rest position.

2. In a timer having a frame supporting a switch and a timing train with a gear wheel, the combination comprising, a biased operator on said frame for said switch, a slide on said frame having a rest position and an actuated position, means coupling said operator and said slide for holding said operator in switch operating position against its bias when said slide is in said actuated position, a latch on said slide for holding said slide in actuated position, and a release pawl on said slide for engaging said gear wheel when the slide is in actuated position so as to be moved during an interval to a position wherein `the pawl releases said latch and allows the Slide to return to said rest position.

3. In a timer having a frame mounting a timing train with Ia gear wheel, the combination comprising, a biased operator on said frame, a slide on said frame having .a rest position and an actuated position, means on said frame biasing said slide toward said rest position, said slide and said operator having interengaging portions for holding said operator against its bias when said slide is in said actuated position, a latch on said slide for holding said slide in actuated position, and a release pawl on said slide for engaging said gear wheel when the slide is in actuated position so as to be moved during an interval to a position wherein the pawl releases said latch and allows the slide to return to said rest position.

4. ln a timer having a switch and a timing train with a gear wheel, the combination comprising, a shiftable switch operator movable to and from a switch operating position in which said switch is operated, means biasing said operator from said switch operating position, a manually positionable selector having an abutment for engaging said operator, said selector having a first position wherein said abutment allows said operator to move from said operating position and a second position wherein said abutment holds said operator in said operating position, a slide having a rest position and an actuated position, said slide and said operator having abutting portions holding said operator in switch operating position when the slide is in said actuated position, a biased latch pivoted on said slide and having a foot surface which snaps into contact with said abutment when said selector is in said first position and said slide is moved to said actuated position so that the foot surface holds the slide in actuated position, and a biased pawl movably mounted on said slide in position to engage said gear wheel and be moved thereby when the slide is in actuated position, said latch having a linger portion positioned to be engaged by said pawl as the latter is moved by said gear wheel so as to pivot the latch and swing said foot surface out of contact with said abutment, thereby releasing said slide for return movement to said rest position.

5. In a timer having a timing train with a gear wheel, the combination comprising, a shiftable operator movable to and from an operating position, means biasing said operator from said operating position, a manually positionable selector having an abutment for engaging said operator, said selector having a iirst position wherein said abutment allows said operator to move from said operating position and a second position wherein said abutment holds said operator in said operating position, a slide having a rest position and an actuated position, said slide and said operator having abutting portions holding said operator in operating position when the slide is in said actuated position, a biased latch pivoted on said slide and having a foot surface which snaps into contact with said abutment when said selector is in said first position and said slide is moved to said actuated position so that the foot surface holds the slide in actuated position, and a biased pawl movably mounted on said slide in position to engage said gear wheel and be moved thereby when the slide is in actuated position, said latch having a finger portion positioned to be engaged by said pawl as the latter is moved by said gear wheel so as to pivot the latch and swing said foot surface out of contact with said abutment, thereby releasing said slide for return movement to said rest position.

6. In a timer having a switch and a timing train with a gear wheel, the combination comprising, a shiftable switch operator movable to and from a switch operating position in which said switch is operated, means biasing said operator from said switch operating position, a slide having a rest position and an actuated position, said slide and said operator having abutting portions holding said operator in switch operating position when the slide is in said actuated position, an abutment, a biased latch pivoted on said slide and having a foot surface which snaps into contact with Said abutment when said slide is moved to said actuated position so that the foot surface holds the slide in actuated position, and a biased pawl movably mounted on said slide in position to engage said gear wheel and be moved thereby when the slide is in actuated position, said latch having a linger portion positioned to be engaged by said pawl as the latter is moved by said gear wheel so as to pivot the latch and swing said foot surface out of contact with said abutment, thereby releasing said slide for return movement to said rest position.

7'. In a timer having a switch and a timing train with a gear wheel, the combination comprising, a shiftable switch operator movable to and from a switch operating position in which said switch is operated, a manually positionable selector having an abutment for engaging said operator, said selector having a first position wherein said abutment allows said operator to move from said operating position and a second position wherein said abutment holds said operator in said opearting position, a slide having a rest position and an actuated position, said slide and said operator having abutting portions holding said operator in switch operating position when the slide is in said actuated position, a latch pivoted on said slide and having a foot surface which Snaps into contact with said abutment when said selector is in said tirst position and said slide is moved to said actuated position so that the foot surface holds the slide in actuated position, and a pawl movably mounted on said slide in position to engage said gear wheel and be moved thereby when the slide is in actuated position, said latch having a nger portion positioned to be engaged by said pawl as the latter is moved by said gear wheel so as to pivot the latch and swing said foot surface out of contact with said abutment, thereby releasing said slide for return movement to said rest position.

Reterences Cited by the Examiner UNITED STATES PATENTS 4/1963 Boyles 20G-38 4/1963 Boyles 200-38 

1. IN A TIMER HAVING A FRAME AND A TIMING TRAIN WITH A GEAR WHEEL, THE COMBINATION COMPRISING, A BIASED OPERATOR ON SAID FRAME, A SLIDE ON SAID FRAME HAVING A REST POSITION AND AN ACTUATED POSITION, SAID OPERATOR BEING HELD AGAINST ITS BIAS BY SAID SLIDE WHEN IN SAID ACTUATED POSITION, A LATCH ON SAID SLIDE FOR HOLDING SAID SLIDE IN ACTUATED POSITION, AND A RELEASE PAWL ON SAID SLIDE FOR ENGAGING SAID GEAR WHEEL WHEN THE SLIDE IS IN ACTUATED POSITION SO AS TO BE MOVED DURING AN INTERVAL TO A POSITION WHEREIN THE PAWL RELEASES SAID LATCH AND ALLOWS THE SLIDE TO RETURN TO SAID REST POSITION. 